Sisters in Loss Podcast: Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss, &amp; Infertility Stories

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Ep183 - Fibroids and Pregnancy After Loss with Keanna Barnes Jan 06, 2021

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We are kicking off the new year discussing Fibroids. Do you know what Fibroids are? Do you know anyone who has fibroids or do you have them yourself? Do you know that you can get pregnant and sustain a pregnancy with Fibroids?

Fibroids are Noncancerous growths in the uterus that can develop during a woman's childbearing years. The cause of fibroids isn't well understood. Risk factors include a family history of fibroids, obesity, or early onset of puberty. Symptoms include heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, and pelvic pain. In some cases, there are no symptoms. Treatments include medications and removal of the fibroid.

Studies show that African-American women suffer fibroids 2 to 3 times more than white women. Black women tend to experience fibroids at a younger age and often more severely than their white counterparts. One estimate is that 25% of African-American women will suffer from fibroids by the age of 25 and 80% will have them by age 50 (compared with 70% for white females). Because Black women suffer fibroids at an earlier age, they also are 2 to 3 times more likely to undergo surgery.

Today's guest was featured back in Episode 31 of the podcast sharing her journey through miscarriages, a stillbirth, and rainbow baby pregnancy with fibroids. Keanna Barnes updates us on her journey to parenthood and since that episode has since had another baby girl her golden baby. A golden baby is a baby born after a rainbow baby.

In this episode Keanna takes us back on her journey through suffering miscarriages, a stillbirth, getting pregnant with her golden baby and pregnancy with fibroids. Her book Journey to Peace a 31 Day Devotional: Through the Grief of Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Other Pregnancy Loss is a go to in the Sisters in Loss Community for those who have experienced fibroids and loss.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have fibroids, had a miscarriage or had a stillbirth. This episode is for you to listen to if you want to know what a pregnancy after loss entails.

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Ep182 - 2020 the Year of the Unexpected! 2021 the Year of God's Promises Fulfilled! Dec 30, 2020

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We made it yall! We have made it to the end of the year, and I'm happy to say we made it whole. Many of us started this year with the expectation of greatness. Ambition to take on the world. Start that new business, write that new book, launch that new product, travel to a new country, and just live a life after loss that was unimaginable. Then our world was paused in March as COVID-19 shut down the world, travel, and many businesses especially small businesses. Many of our family and friends have been diagnosed with COVID-19, recovered, or even worse have gone to be angels in heaven. 2020 has been the year of the Unexpected!

In this solo episode I talk about the year in review, my personal and professional goals, and my 2021 word of the year.

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Ep181 - Trauma after loss due to PPROM and Inadequate Maternal Health Care with Kimi Farrington Dec 23, 2020

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Did you not feel supported during loss due to inadequate maternal health care?

Today's guest experienced a premature delivery and loss at 19 weeks due to PPROM or premature rupture of the membranes and possible cervical insufficiency. Kimi Farrington was not able to get the necessary medical treatment and mental health services following her loss, and losing her daughter's father months after she died made grieving unbearable. In this episode, Kimi shares how she is advocating for the improvement of care and quality for black maternal health, how her loss of her daughter and daughter's father shaped her to take interest in mental and emotional health, and how her experience has awakened her inner advocacy and inspired her to go to law school in Fall 2021.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a premature birth, PPROM, or birth trauma for inadequate maternal health care. This episode is for you to listen to if you want to be a part of the solution to improving black maternal health.

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Ep180 - PCOS, Miscarriages, and Losing a Toddler with Danielle Anderson Dec 16, 2020

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Can you imagine losing your son in front of your other children?

Today's guest was diagnosed with PCOS and did 3 rounds of Clomid before conceiving her first child, suffered from 2 miscarriages then unexpectedly conceived her second son. After her son's first birthday he passed away from what was eventually called "natural causes." Danielle Anderson struggled to believe that she was a mom of 2 boys because her arms were empty with missing her son. In this episode, Danielle takes us back to her struggles with infertility and PCOS, losing her son Chase at 1 years old, and conceiving her rainbow baby and golden baby during her grief journey. She also shares how she changed her lifestyle and started focusing on her health as self care pursuing whole health - spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Also, Danielle shares her journey becoming a Birth and Bereavement doula through Sisters in Loss and how that has helped her grief journey.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have PCOS, suffered from miscarriages, or had an untimely toddler loss. This episode is for you to listen to if you have not considered a healthy lifestyle as self care and how to take control of your health.

Listen to this episode here: sistersinloss.com/ep180

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Ep179 - Foster to Adopt After Loss with Tiffany Flakes-Williams Dec 09, 2020

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Have you considered Fostering to Adopt after Loss?

For many parents in efforts to grow their family and having experienced untimely loss the option to foster a child and for many foster to adopt.

Today's guest decided to foster to adopt after her wife struggled with fibroids, myomectomy, and 3 failed IUIs. Tiffany Flakes-Williams and her wife then turned to her to begin their journey to parenthood and then were faced with fibroids as well, but were told they wouldn't cause any problems conceiving. They were able to conceive on their first IUI cycle and found out they were pregnant with twins. Tiffany went on to see one baby stop growing and had additional monitoring as the fibroids began to grow. At 20 weeks her water broke and she experienced PPROM premature rupture of the membranes and was able to maintain bedrest up until 24 weeks. Her son Chandler was born via c-section and fought hard to survive. In this episode Tiffany takes us back to that day when her water broke, how 18 months after Chandler died they began the foster parent process, how her rainbow baby came via foster care to adopt, and now she is pregnant with her golden baby.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have considered foster care to adopt after loss. This episode is also for you to listen to if have experienced PPROM, IUI, or are apart of the LGBTQ community and growing your family.

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Ep 178 - Myomectomy, Transabdominal Cerclage, and Faith after Loss with Dr. Shabnam Brady Dec 02, 2020

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Have you heard of a Myomectomy procedure?

Myomectomy is a surgical procedure to remove uterine fibroids. These common noncancerous growths appear in the uterus. Uterine fibroids usually develop during childbearing years, but they can occur at any age. Women of Color have the highest occurrence of fibroids in up to 90% of black women before age of 50.

Today's guest experienced an untimely loss at 22 weeks of baby girl Alexandria Shah due to preterm labor and cervical insufficiency. Dr. Shabnam Brady began to research for answers why and what could possibly have happened. She went to several specialist doctors and conducted months of research. She and her husband decided to undergo a myomectomy to remove fibroids and went to Chicago to undergo a Transabdominal Cerclage procedure due to her cervical insufficiency. Last Summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Shabnam for dinner while she was pregnant with her miracle Faith. In this episode, Shabnam takes us back to her making the decision for both procedures: the myomectomy and transabdominal cerclage, how her Faith after loss was during her rainbow baby pregnancy, and how therapy and mental health played a major role in her healing.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have considered a myomectomy or transabdominal cerclage procedures. This episode is for you to listen to on how to research your options and choose the best specialist or therapist for you after loss.

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Ep177 - Sickle Cell Anemia and Pregnancy Loss with Regina Jackson Nov 25, 2020

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Have you heard of Sickle Cell Anemia?

Sickle cell anemia is one of a group of disorders known as sickle cell disease. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited red blood cell disorder in which there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. Normally, the flexible, round red blood cells move easily through blood vessels.

During pregnancy the disease can become more severe, and pain episodes can occur more often. A pregnant woman with SCD is at a higher risk of preterm labor, having a low birth weight baby or other complications.

Today's guest was diagnosed with Sickle Cell when she was a child and found out she was pregnant when she was sick and thought she had pneumonia. Regina Jackson felt tired during the Thanksgiving Holiday and had light spotting which she thought was implantation bleeding accompanied with bad cramps. She ended up in the ER where she was continuing to hemorrhage and bleed through the Holidays. Regina woke up on December 30 in labor and immediately went to the ER where they had her wait for almost 2 hours to be seen. She ended up having her baby in the bathroom by herself, and then was seen by the nurses.

In this episode Regina recounts the day she miscarried, how sickle cell anemia plays a role in pregnancy, and how she is surviving pregnancy loss.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have sickle cell or know anyone with the disease. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a pregnancy loss and had to learn to love yourself, live your purpose, and advocate for yourself.

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Ep176 - Miscarriage and Navigating Life After Pregnancy Loss with Mikell Smith Nov 18, 2020

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How do you Navigate Life After Pregnancy and Infant Loss?

Today's guest experienced a miscarriage at 7 weeks and her world shook upside down. She initially didn't think she could conceive, but was happy to find out she was expecting. Mikell Smith was excited when she found out she was pregnant and all of her pregnancy symptoms hit her at once. When she didn't feel those symptoms any longer she knew something was wrong. In this episode Mikell takes us on her journey to motherhood and how she navigates life after pregnancy loss. She shares how she pulls herself together afterwards, the communities she joined for support, and how it inspired her to write a book Still a Mom: Navigating Life After Pregnancy Loss.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have ever wondered how someone navigates life after pregnancy loss. This episode is for you if you have experienced a miscarriage.

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Ep175 - Transabdominal Cerclage, PCOS, and IVF Success with Michelle Byrd Nov 11, 2020

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Have you heard of a Transabdominal Cerclage?

In a transabdominal cerclage procedure, a gynecologic surgeon makes an incision in the lower abdomen near the bikini line. Through this transabdominal incision, the surgeon places a small, woven synthetic band high on the cervix. The band supports the cervix, preventing it from opening and losing the pregnancy.

Today's guest was diagnosed with PCOS and knew she would need assistance to have a family. After trying naturally for sometime she was directed to a Fertility specialist who recommended IVF. Michelle Byrd's first round of IVF was a success as she was pregnant with boy girl twins, but lost them due to cervical insufficiency at 18 weeks. She had embryos from her first IVF cycle and was able to get pregnant again after having a cerclage for cervical stitch placed at 16 weeks. Michelle went on to lose that pregnancy at 17 weeks. She then began searching for options to prolong her pregnancies and researched a transabdominal cerclage, a cervical stitch placed before she is trying to conceive and increases her chances of pregnancy. In this episode Michelle takes us back to the painful moment of losing her babies due to cervical insufficiency, her decision for getting a transabdominal cerclage, and her successful frozen embryo transfer and rainbow baby pregnancy.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have had cervical insufficiency or an incompetent cervix and are considering a transabdominal cerclage. This episode is for you to listen to if you have PCOS, experienced a 2nd trimester loss, and have gone through fertility treatments.

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